


The challenge

by BuildingGsr



Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:02:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25495783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BuildingGsr/pseuds/BuildingGsr
Summary: How Brass came to know about the relationship between Grissom and Sara.Season/Episode: right after the end of “Fallen Idols” (episode 7x17)
Relationships: Gil Grissom/Sara Sidle
Kudos: 11





	The challenge

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first attempt in writing a fic with just dialogues. So the most part of the text it's just dialogues, with some short descriptions here and there.
> 
> First Italian publication on CSI LoveKit: 28.03.2013  
>  Last editing: 18.07.2020

Sara needed almost fifteen minutes to finish shaving Grissom.

“It looks like a good job, to me. What do you think?” Sara commented, after verifying she didn’t miss any detail.

Grissom looked at himself in the mirror, checking Sara’s work.

“While you make the final adjustments, what about...I order dinner?” she asked him.

“That’s fine.”

“Indian?”

“Italian.”

“All right.”

After a few minutes, Grissom reached Sara in the living room at the entrance and sat next to her on the couch.

“You also bought the newspaper...” Sara pointed out, right after he sat.

“Did you buy it too?”

“I told I would have bought it.”

“...when?”

“...never mind...”

“...”

“Have you already done the crossword puzzles?”

“Not yet.”

“What about a challenge?”

“...a challenge?”

“Who’s the first completing the crossword puzzle.”

Grissom laughed.

“I hate to state the obvious, but...I think you don’t have many chances to win.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Sara replied.

“We’ll do as you please.”

Sara looked satisfied.

“But we need rules,” Grissom made clear.

“What kind of rules?”

“First, the penance for the loser.”

“Ah! You want to do things the straight way.”

“When doing something, do it the best way.”

“Maniac of control, as usual.”

“Ok, let’s do this: if I lose...”

“...”

“If I lose I’ll sell one of my spiders,” Grissom proposed.

“One of your cherished spiders?! Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. What about you?”

“Ok...if I lose...if I lose I’ll eat a steak.”

“... ! Do you want to join carnivores again?”

“No.”

“Are you trying to pity me so I’ll let you win?”

“I don’t need pity from anyone.”

“It’s a bit harsh as a penance.”

“May we begin?”

“Alright, let’s begin. But don’t complain when you’ll have to eat that steak. I’ve warned you. And I take no prisoners.”

“I’m shivering already.”

“And I am sure you’re hiding something.”

“We’ll see.”

Grissom watched her with circumspection.

“Give the start,” Sara invited him.

The challenge began and both of them concentrated on their crossword puzzle, but not even five minutes later somebody knocked on the door. None of them raised the head from the newspaper.

“Somebody knocked on the door,” Sara noticed.

“Surgery on my ears worked, do you remember? I’ve heard that someone knocked.”

“Don’t you go to see?”

Grissom didn’t answer.

“You know, even if _I_ go, you have to stop writing anyway. Otherwise the challenge is not valid. Rules, remember?”

“Yeah, all right. You can go.”

“Ok, I go. But you stop.”

“...ok.”

Sara got up only when she saw Grissom leave the pen. She went at the door, giving a distracted glance through the peephole. What she saw blocked her.

 _Oh oh!_ she let slip out loud.

“Gil...” she called him undertone.

“I’m not reading, or writing.”

“No, no! It’s Brass.”

“Brass...? Jim Brass?”

“How many Brass do we know?”

Grissom was caught by surprise and Sara took the situation in hands, choosing to go hiding in the bedroom. She roughly gathered her things, but she remembered to take the newspaper with her.

“Leave it here. The challenge is not ended yet,” Grissom admonished her.

Sara rolled her eyes and she walked away annoyed, followed by Grissom’s gaze from the living room. He waited her to disappear in the hallway.

“And if you check on the dictionary, I’ll know it!” he threatened her, always speaking in a lower voice.

“Don’t you have any other problem you have to deal with at the moment?”

“Do not cheat,” he severely replied.

Sara disappeared in the hallway and finally Grissom opened the door.

“Jim...”

“Hey, Gil! I was about to leave...I thought I heard voices from inside, but I didn’t see you coming...”

“I felt asleep in front of TV.”

Captain’s gaze instinctively flew on the sofa.

“What’s up?” Grissom asked then.

“Nothing in particular. The other day you said I owe you a favor and we haven’t shared a drink in a while now, so I thought to buy you one.”

“Oh...”

“Am I disturbing you, maybe?”

“No...no, no, don’t worry...”

“So, what do you say?”

“Fact is that I’m waiting for a delivery, and then I have to leave...”

“Oh well, then...”

“But...just come in a moment, c’mon.”

“Are you sure I’m not disturbing?”

“Sure.”

“Maybe I should have called...” Brass said upon entering.

Following Grissom on the way to the kitchen, Brass threw a distracted look at the living room area, noticing two newspapers on the coffee table in front of the sofa.

“I have some beer, if you want.”

“I don’t want to bother you too much...”

Grissom was already taking the beers from the fridge, and stared at him with a dazed face.

“What’s up...? What are all this considerations?”

“Nothing. I don’t know...you look strange...”

“It’s the beard. Probably your eyes have still to get used to it,” the crime lab supervisor proposed, handing Brass an uncorked beer.

They drank the first sip.

“Did you grow the beard in order to command your students’ respect and keep them quiet?”

“I don’t need to command respect in order to keep my students quiet.”

“What your course was about?”

“Mosquitos. You would got bored.”

“Oh, I see. That’s how you keep your students quiet: you pick the most tedious topics.”

Grissom smiled.

“What about you? How did this month go?”

“Everything went fine. Appearances aside, cop’s life is more boring than one may think...”

“How come?”

“Same criminals, same junk’s and crooked cops problems. And then –

Brass speech was interrupted by a knocking on the door. Grissom turned his look towards the door with dumbfound air.

“It’s probably your delivery,” Brass observed.

“Yeah,” Grissom replied.

He walked up to the door, hiding his discomfort by keeping his eyes on the money to give the delivery guy.

Grissom welcomed him with an unenthusiastic _Good evening_.

“Good evening,” the guy replied. He went on. “I have two portions of lasagna, one vegetarian, one portion of vegetable polpettone, one portion of stew and two –

“Yeah, yeah, that’s fine,” Grissom interrupted him.

He paid and went back to the kitchen. He was welcomed by a surprised Brass.

“How long it’s been since you ate last time?”

“...why?”

“I’m sorry, I couldn't help overhearing the delivery list...”

“...and?”

“...two portions of everything?” Brass noted.

“Oh, yeah. No, I don’t eat everything now.”

The policeman wasn’t convinced and he showed it.

“Mh. Or maybe you have to share it with somebody...” he said.

Grissom would have put the food somewhere, but his friend’s objection stopped him, right there by the table.

“Where have all your considerations gone?” he asked, hoping that that chat ended in that very moment.

Brass instead continued, following the scent he had nosed out.

“Well...I just want to be sure that you’ve chosen the right woman this time.”

“...woman?”

Brass stared at him without moving a muscle, with his usual expression when he understood he hook the man.

“Moreover, what you mean with _this time_?” Grissom asked again.

“Vegetarian lasagna doesn’t seem to suit Lady Heather...”

“You would be impressed by how much she’s able to eat.”

“She doesn’t impress me anymore. But, maybe, you’re still able to.”

Grissom understood that Brass’ instinct was always vigilant and that he had sensed something.

“I think I understand why you decided to shave your beard...” the captain continued.

“What does shaving my beard fit in this?”

“It makes you look younger.”

“Ok. This is ridiculous...”

“Gil.”

“What?”

“"I thought that giving you my power of attorney, ensured me a different treatment...”

“Are we engaged?”

“I’m not. Are you?”

“...”

“You know you can trust me,” Brass insisted.

“What do you mean?”

“You know that...if I find a woman in your house, the thing remains between us.”

“What woman in my house?!”

“Let’s say...a woman in her thirties...brown hair...”

There was a long moment of silence, the two men staring at each other. Then the captain finally put his cards down on the table.

“A woman like Sara.”

“Sara?”

“Sara.”

“...and...in the case you were right...why Sara?” Grissom asked tentatively.

“A series of elements which, if taken one by one don’t mean much, but if one puts them together they give you the right picture...”

“May you avoid to make theatre?”

“All right. Vegetarian lasagna; I recognized her calligraphy on one of the two newspapers on the coffee table at the entrance; and then she has always a smell..I don’t know...shampoo, bubble bath, I still haven’t get what’s that. Maybe can you tell me?”

“Even in the case you were right, and Sara is in this house, that doesn’t mean I know what bubble bath she uses.”

“But the fact that she’s hiding does.”

“...”

“Oh! So I have to deduce that it’s bubble bath?”

“...! Why are we talking about this?!”

“I heard her voice behind the door.”

“It was probably the TV on. I told you I fell asleep on the sofa...” was Grissom’s tireless defensive attempt.

Brass was shocked.

“Do you really think I steal my paycheck?”

“Excuse me?”

“We work together and you usually trust my intuitions. Why aren’t you taking them into consideration this time?”

“There’s a first time for everything, Jim.”

Brass was gobsmacked.

“I really didn’t expected that from you...”

“What are you talking about?”

“So, our relationship was important only to me...”

“...”

“...I was so stupid to think that –

“Ok. Stop it,” Grissom stopped him.

“Thank you. The role of the broken and inconsolable friend doesn’t suit me.”

Grissom thoughtfully lowered his look on the bags of food ordered by Sara.

“Wait here a minute,” he said eventually.

“Do you mean I’m right?” Brass asked delightedly.

Grissom thrown him a bad glance.

He disappeared around the corner and walked to the bedroom. In front of the door he took a moment to reorganize his mind. Then he slowly opened the door.

Sara was sat on the bed, thoughts deep in a report.

“Hey...” Grissom greeted her with low voice.

“Brass left?” Sara asked.

Grissom would have preferred to reach the topic from a longer way, but her direct question sought a direct answer.

“Actually...he’s in the kitchen waiting for us,” he answered.

Sara’s eyes widened.

“ _Us_?”

Grissom didn’t know what to say.

“How dare I show my face?”

“ _Sweeter would be the death, if my eyes had last horizon as your face._ ”

“I got. He understood everything, right?”

“...”

“How did he?”

“A series of elements which, if taken one by one don’t mean much, but if one puts them together they give the right picture,” Grissom replied quoting Brass' words.

“What elements?”

“I'll tell you later.”

“...”

“Now, com’on...let's go...” he kindly invited her.

Sara reluctantly got up from the bed and the two went back to the kitchen. Grissom walked before her as if being a shield for her. They stopped a moment at the door, and silently observed Brass who, too focused on poking his nose into the food bags, didn't see them.

“Here we are,” Grissom introduced his and Sara's presence.

Brass turned around and when he saw Sara, he was the one to break the ice.

“Hey! So you're not a three-headed wild beast!”

Sara stared at him as if he was nuts and Brass playfully continued.

“I received a call from the central because people had seen a fury around here...but you, have rather the appearance of Sara Sidle. Hi, I'm James Brass, Las Vegas police, a friend of Gil.”

Sara threw a puzzled look on Grissom, however feeling in some part relieved and joyous.

“Why the hell did you let him in?” she asked him.

Brass answered on behalf of his friend.

“My charm is overwhelming.” Sara stared at him perplexed. “Also, it seems that I not only have the charm of a detective of the likes of Poirot, but I have his brain too! I, in fact, have sensed your presence in this house and achieved to have a confirmation of that from the hereby Gilbert Grissom.”

Sara again threw a disappointed look at Grissom showing her annoyance and Jim, again, helped his friend.

“It's not his fault. I just used the old trick of regret. I know he's very susceptible to those kind of things.”

“Good to know that,” Sara commented.

“Jim, excuse me, but whose side are you on?” Grissom objected.

The policeman turned toward Sara.

“On hers, of course! I don't think she needs to be defended however, as she can tolerate you.”

Sara looked delighted.

“...maybe it wasn't that bad an idea to let him in, you know that... – for a moment she didn't know how to call her mate – _Grissom_?” she eventually decided.

“I can’t help but be pleased, _Sidle,_ ” he coolly replied.

Brass observed his two colleagues and there was something he couldn’t work out that made him feel embarrassed.

“Ok. I had my satisfaction, so...I can leave you to your dinner,” he said.

Grissom and Sara looked at each other and realized they were harboring the same idea in mind.

“Ehi, Jim...if you don't have any plan, why don't you stay?” Grissom proposed speaking on behalf of Sara too.

Brass was surprised.

“It wouldn’t be any different than eating together at the lab,” Sara added.

Facing the indecision of the policeman, Sara proposed something she knew he would have liked.

“After dinner, the wild beast retires in her tower like the Hunchback of Notre Dame and she’ll leave you two to your men-chatting. I promise.”

The proposal met a discreet success.

“Why didn't I meet you when I was younger?” Brass said.

“Because I hadn't been born yet, Jim.” Sara replied.

“What a cheek! Don't you say anything?” Brass turned to Grissom.

“That's mathematics,” Sara noted.

“Well, thanks for the invite, but...I don't know...it seemed like I interrupted something...”

“What might have you interrupted?” Grissom asked puzzled.

“Actually he interrupted something,” Sara remembered.

Brass stared at them with his most embarrassed face.

“It's not what you're thinking, Jim,” Grissom quickly specified. “It's a crossword challenge.”

“They call it that way, now?” the policeman mischievously asked.

“You bet,” Grissom seriously replied. “And when Sara will lose, it's gonna be a pleasure for me to watch her paying her penalty.”

Jim threw a curious, but hesitant look at Sara.

“I have to eat a steak,” she informed him.

Brass turned to Grissom.

“You exaggerated a bit, don’t you think? Everybody knows she can’t eat meat.”

“Don’t look at me. It’s her idea.”

“You decided to eat meat again?” Brass asked Sara.

“Hey! Didn’t you say you were on my side?” she reproached him.

“Well...challenge Grissom on crossword puzzles means to be quite masochist.”

“You know? I have changed idea on you staying at dinner.”

“That’s mathematics, Sara,” Brass retorted.

Grissom intervened, stopping them.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but your lively quarrel made me tremendously hungry...what do you think, do we want to eat or not?”

Eventually Brass joined the couple and helped Grissom laying the table, while Sara, strictly following Grissom’s instructions, took some more food from the fridge in order to strengthen the dinner, since a new table mate had added. That thing surprised Brass.

“He leaves you put your hands in his fridge? This thing must be something serious...”

Sara turned to Grissom, who reprimanded his friend.

“Well,” Sara said then, “if we had to have this as a base, then I may say that it’s not as you say, since I have the license just for picking up food.”

Brass threw a questioning look at her.

“For the drop off he follows an order which I can’t call other that _for-a-nuts_. So I don’t even try.”

“Because hasn’t see how devote you are to your laundry,” Grissom noted.

“Well, no one can say she has no guts!” Brass exclaimed. “I saw people vanish for much less important secrets than Grissom’s dropping off secret order,” he added with a low and serious voice.

At that, Sara turned to Grissom.

“You know everything, do you know of a rejuvenating-people machine? I think I just found my man.”

“I’m sorry, _Sidle_ , I don’t,” Grissom replied. “But I’m pretty sure that you and _your-man_ may have more chances to find it out of this house,” he indicated the empty chair across the table, inviting her to sit down.

“Hey, this is a subtle but determined threat,” Brass laughed at that.

“It seemed, indeed,” Sara agreed.

“I didn’t think you like a jealous guy, Gil,” the policeman observed. He then turned to Sara, asking: “Is he a jealous guy?”

Sara was caught by surprise.

“I...actually...can’t tell...” she hesitantly answered, “but, you know, there’s a first time for everything.”

Brass was hit by that sentence.

“Did you hear us speaking, earlier?” he asked the woman.

“No. Why?”

“Well, you two must be really alike because you used the same expression in less than an hour.”

Grissom and Sara shared a smiley look and finally the group started to eat. Right before the first bite, though, Brass wanted to satisfy his curiosity.

“So you already reached the step of living together?” he asked.

Grissom almost choked.

“I’ll take that for a yes,” Brass mumbled, starting to eat.

They ate chatting quietly about their job, about stories on Vegas and their own interests. When the meal was over Sara kept her promise.

“Well, sirs. I leave you to your chats. Just give me the time to take a thing from my bag and then everybody’s free!”

“It’s not a pajama party Sara,” Grissom made clear.

“Said by you, even a _pajama party_ sounds like a serious thing,” she ironically said while going up the stairs to the living room.

She came back short after, heading toward the kitchen door.

Grissom called her just before she disappeared into the hallway. She stopped and looked at him with a curious gaze. Brass too, at their back, directed his glance to him.

“Leave the newspaper here,” Grissom commanded.

“What newspaper?” Sara innocently asked.

He stared at her, making her understand what he was talking about.

“What?” Sara exclaimed. “Don’t you think that I...”

Grissom didn’t leave her finish and approached to her, scrutinizing her for a moment.

“Do you pull it out or I take it?”

“I would never thought I would have lived much to hear you say something like that, Gil...”

The observation came out from Brass’ mouth in one go and Sara tried to give him assistance.

“Also, aren’t usually men those who pull –

“Sara!” Grissom stopped her abruptly.

“Please, tell me that this is not your secret code to arrange to have –

“Jim!” Grissom had to stop his friend too.

“I thought it was the moment for me to go...”

“Please, Jim, stay. It will take just a moment.”

Grissom took Sara’s arm and made her turn. He slightly lifted the edge of her sweatshirt, finding the newspaper hold by the elastic band of her tracksuit pants.

“Look what I found. A newspaper!” he announced victoriously. He made sign to her to leave it on the table. “That stays here.”

“No!” Sara protested, pulling out the newspaper, but keeping it in her hand. “I don’t agree.”

Grissom looked at her perplexed.

“Who tells me that you won’t cheat, while I’m not here?”

“First, my name is not Sara. This should be a good guarantee. Moreover, I don’t need to cheat to win.”

“I pretend some warranties.”

Both of them directed they glances towards Brass.

“Hey, don’t look at me!” he exclaimed.

“You just have to take an envelop and close the newspapers in it,” Sara spurred him.

“Sure! Everyone carries an envelop to secure newspapers in it!”

“It’s evident you’re not aware of the office supply Grissom keeps in his studio.”

Brass turned to Grissom looking for some support, but, instead, he seemed to agree with Sara.

“Are you kidding me, right?” the captain said.

None of his colleagues replied. They instead muttered each other.

“Go take the envelop,” Sara told Grissom.

“I found you trying to cheat, I won’t leave you here,” the man replied.

“You’re already favored, what might I do while you’re away?”

“I have no idea, but you would be able to find something.”

“You don’t even want me to put food in your fridge, now you want me to rummage around your drawers?”

Brass closed the debate.

“Why don’t you two go together, so no one can cheat? Jesus, you look like kids!”

“See?” Sara noted joyfully “We were right choosing you as a judge. You have the wisdom of elders...”

“The poker face of this girl has no limit!” the policeman protested talking to Grissom, but he was already following Sara in the hallway heading the studio.

It was when Grissom opened the drawer in his studio that he stopped.

“Is everything alright?” he asked Sara who was giving her back to him, staring at a frame hanging on the opposite wall.

“Yes,” she replied, without turning to him.

“I mean, about Brass...” he precised.

“I got it.”

“...”

“You?” she asked him.

“Yes...everything’s fine.”

They went back in the kitchen.

“Here’s the envelop,” Grissom announced, upon entering.

“You two are not normal, you know that, right?” Brass objected.

No one bothered to reply.

When the process of securing the newspaper was completed, Sara felt herself more comfortable to leave the men alone.

“Bye, Brass,” she waved goodbye.

A touch of timidity that Brass didn’t know made its appearance in Sara's voice and he replied with a nod of the head.

The policeman then saw the silent greeting between Grissom and Sara, and the honesty in their glances made him turn his look elsewhere.

[ ](http://buildinggsr.altervista.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/ciao.jpg)

“You’re warned, say only good things on me,” was Sara’s way to take her leave.

“Who tells you that we’ll talk about you?” Grissom objected.

“Feminine vanity...” the woman replied.

Then she vanished in the hallway.

Grissom took a bottle of scotch from the lowest compartment of the library.

“With a bottle of scotch in the house, how did you dare to offer me beer?” Brass protested.

“Actually, I thought you would have left sooner,” his friend admitted.

“Now I know why.”

Grissom poured the liquor for both of them and sat across the table of the kitchen.

“...it seems that things are going right, anyway...” the policeman hinted, turning a fleeting glance to the hallway’s door.

“That seems to me too...” Grissom agreed, pensive.

“Good...good.”

“...”

“Well, that means that we’ll share less cocktails than we used to.”

“It won’t necessarily go that way.”

“You know? I had noticed something different in you lately, but I couldn’t understand what it was...”

“...”

“Now we’ve shed the light on the enigma.”

“So it seems.”

“It would be interesting to know how the things developed...”

“...things?”

“Between you and Sara, I mean.”

“It would be interesting, yeah.”

“You’re not going to tell me, are you?”

“No.”

“Since you’ve been knowing each other?”

“It’s...seven years.”

“Quite a long process.”

“Yes...”

“However it’s not unusual that a relationship grow at workplaces. Maybe, it’s not even strange that that happened to you two...”

“...”

“It’s more strange that that happened to you, actually. Even though, with your rap sheet, maybe that’s not...”

“...what rap sheet?”

“Well, I had heard you had some interest on Teri Miller...which you worked with. And...Heather...well, you met her because of your job...”

“Is there an intelligence service in the lab?”

“Even if there was, I can say that you and Sara are greatly eluding it, because I haven’t heard anything around about this...I think no one is aware of this.”

“No, no one knows.”

“Good work.”

“...”

“Do you have a technique?”

Grissom quietly laughed, amused.

“We are as we’ve always been, I suppose.”

“Do you think to tell it to the others? I’m sure they would be happy for you...”

Grissom poured some more liquid in both glasses.

“It’s fine this way so far.”

“For both?”

“...for both.”

“I see. I think it suits Sara to make a decision like this.”

“What you mean?”

“You know...people who have experienced a certain kind of life recognize each other. It’s a kind of sense that you feel...”

“...”

“I...have no idea of Sara’s background, I know pretty much nothing about her, a part of her job life, but something probably hasn’t gone the right way somewhere throughout her life...”

“...”

“She got used to keeping things for herself. And I believe this perfectly matches your life view. You like to keep things for yourself too.”

“I’m not that good at that, given the bulletin you reported earlier...”

“The things you want to hide...not even you know where you keep them. You have even forgot them.”

Grissom felt puzzled at that observation and stood thinking over it for a moment.

Sara’s voice coming from the hallway broke the silence.

“Hey guys, I’m coming, so whether you’re doing or saying anything I should not see or hear, put on your poker faces!”

The two men laughed, caught by surprise.

“She’s always like this?”

“Today she’s better than usual. You probably inspire her.”

Sara showed up in the kitchen.

“Here you are. I just take a bottle of water and I disappear.”

“Oh, if you want to join us, there’s enough scotch for everyone...” Brass let her know.

“There’s always plenty of scotch,” she replied, hidden by the door of the fridge.

Brass and Grissom stood in silence, reasoning over Sara’s words.

“Besides, I’m too young to sit at a table with some spirit in the glass, meditating on the meaning of life,” she added on the way back.

“Did her just called us old?” Brass astoundingly asked Grissom.

“Philosophers. She called us philosophers, Jim,” Grissom answered with a persuasive voice.

Brass stared at Grissom trying to understand whether his friend was serious or was kidding him.

“Yes...sages, Jim,” Sara reinforced the message.

Grissom and Sara shared a smile. Then she left.

Brass shook his head like a horse, thinking again to the dialogue with the woman.

“She’s fun, though.” he said eventually.

“She is.” Grissom confirmed.

Brass stood there for almost two hours and the friends talked about a lot of things, quietly and with composure, as if they were become two real philosophers.

Right after Brass left, Grissom took the sealed envelop containing the newspapers and searched for Sara in the rooms of the apartment. He finally found her, sleeping on the bed. He remained at the door watching the whole scene in its tiniest details – the room was in dim-light and the bed was covered of papers and photos relating the case they were working on; the lamp on the bed-table was on, Sara’s hand stretched on his side of the bed. He silently began tidying up.

When he finished, he kept the case folder and the newspaper’s envelop, and approached the side where Sara was sleeping. He called her in a whisper. She curled up.

“Put yourself under the covers,” he advised her.

“Gil...” she greeted him, slowly moving to make the sheets slip under her body.

“Hi,” he greeted her low-voiced. “Keep sleeping,” he added.

He sat on the floor besides the bed, starting examining the papers of the case.

“Did everything go fine?” Sara’s tired voice asked.

“Yes, everything fine.”

With a moan Sara approved his answer and Grissom went back with his eyes on work-related papers. Still, something kept his mind busy.

“Hey, Sara...”

“...yeah...”

“Do you think...now that Jim...”

“...”

“...do you think the others should know it too?”

“No.”

Sara's answer, albeit given half-sleep, was sharp and Grissom was surprised by that.

“You look very certain about that.”

Sara took a deep breath.

“It’s something mine. I don’t want anybody to judge or ruin it, save one of us.”

“...”

“I’ve already been judged enough in my life. Plus, making our relationship public, one of us will have to leave the team.”

“I believe this might be avoidable by some expedient.”

Sara let the air fill her lungs, then she emptied them while turning on a side, towards the external of the bed and towards Grissom. She tiredly opened her eyes, which were slightly dazzled by the light of the lamp turned on on the bed-table, and stared at her mate keeping her head on the pillow.

“We talked about this...I thought we were on the same line on this.”

“...”

“Talking to Brass made you doubtful?”

“No.”

“Maybe...you feel uncomfortable that –

“I don’t feel uncomfortable with you.”

“...”

“At least, not like before...I think. I mean, not that before...”

“Yes, yes, I got it.”

They remained silent for a moment.

“I’ve always been clear...” Sara resumed, “...you didn’t?”

A worried expression pictured on Sara’s face.

“Don’t worry. We’re on the same line.”

“...”

“I just wanted to be sure that what happened tonight didn’t make you change your mind.”

“You know that the day I change my mind I’ll let you know.”

Grissom smiled affectionately and caressed her hair.

“I know.”

“...”

“Now, go back to sleep.”

Sara's sleepy eyes fell on the envelop that Brass had sealed.

“We have to finish our challenge,” she murmured.

“Don’t worry, we’ll finish it another time. Now sleep, you need it.”

“You need it too.”

“I just have a look at the case and I’ll go to sleep.”

“Just...don’t fall asleep there. As much that’s quite poetic as an image, I’m not sure it would be good for your body...and I don’t mean because of your age. It wouldn’t be good for me too.”

Grissom smiled and threw a glance to the opened folder on his legs.

“You’re right,” he said.

He put himself on his feet, changed his clothes and made Sara move over, laying beside her on the external side of the bed, giving her his back. He then turned the lamp off.

“This is not your side of the bed,” she murmured, slipping her arm around his waist.

“I know.”

“...”

“Don’t worry, sleeping on this side of the bed won’t break my inner order.”

Sara smiled in the dark.

“Gil...” she whispered.

“Yeah.”

“I would have won the challenge.”

“Yes, I know.”

“I would have win by cheating.”

“I know.”

“...”

“I just haven’t understood how, yet.”

“...I learned the answers by heart.”

Grissom raised his head from the pillow.

“The whole crosswords puzzle?

“Yes.”

Grissom’s body had a gasp because of a laugh.

“When did you find the time? You’ve worked all day long.”

“Results need time.”

“Maybe Ecklie was right when he said that I’m not able to manage the team, if even the most Stakhanovite member of the team lose her time learning the answers of a crossword puzzle by heart.”

“...you know...I keep trying to match up with your expectations.”

“I thought it was clear it’s not necessary.”

“Old habits die hard.”

“...I would have made you win anyway.”

“...”

“...Sara?”

“...yeah.”

“It’s fun to be with you.”

“...and for me to be with you too.”

“Now let’s pretend we’re two people who don’t work at night and let’s try to catch up on some sleep.”

The phone rang out of the blue, making them start on the bed.

“What you were saying?” Sara said annoyed.

“Grissom,” the supervisor said, picking up.

“Hey Gil, I’m sorry to disturb you...”

“Please, Jim, promise that now on you won’t say you’re sorry every time you call me, because I’m sure I’d never stand it.”

“Ok. We have a double homicide. I need someone.”

“I see. We’ll be there.”

“We? You bring your lady?”

“Jim!”

“Don’t panic, I’m away from inappropriate ears.”

“It’s not fun.”

“You’ve got to let me have at least one.”

“I’ll see you later.”

He closed the communication and sat on the bed, feet on the floor.

“Where my escort is taking me tonight?” Sara asked.


End file.
